Friday, November 27, 2009

Police yesterday shifted a detained Awami League leader arrested on charges of mugging and demanding toll to hospital apparently to release him in the face of pressures by the ruling party men.

Mahbubur Rahman, acting AL general secretary of Godagari upazila, was arrested along with his son Rajesh at his home in connection with a mugging case in the early hours yesterday.

Mahbub was admitted to Police Hospital around 5:00pm, while Rajesh was hauled before a court that sent him to jail, said police and court sources.

"Mahbub was admitted to the hospital as his health deteriorated. But we sent Rajesh to the court," confirmed Abdul Kuddus Chowdhury, additional superintendent of police.

"We will decide about him after he recovers," Chowdhury added.

AL leaders including Jubo League President Asaduzzaman were putting pressure on the police for his release since 12noon, sources say.

At around 3:00pm, the AL leaders along with hundreds of activists laid a siege to the Godagari police station. One hour later, Additional Superintendent of Police Chowdhury rushed to Godagari and took both the arrestees to Rajshahi.

Speaking anonymously, a senior police official termed the whole affair rivalry in local AL politics over a bid to capture Sultanganj cattle market.

He told The Daily Star the police arrested Mahbub at the diktat of a ruling party lawmaker and are now digesting the wrath of a senior AL leader holding a state minister's status.

Contacted, Omar Faruk denied the charges. "Police performed their duty. But look what is happening now. Police complained to me that the mayor [AHM Khairuzzaman Liton] is lobbying for Mahbub's release. How can he side with a mugger?"

Mahbub and his son were arrested after Aminul Islam, an AL supporter, filed a case against them alleging that they mugged Tk 6 lakh from him during an auction of cows on Tuesday.

Aminul alleged that the accused beat up his aide Rofikul and sent him to hospital as he denied them toll of Tk 1.5 lakh after they bought ten cows in the auction.

Several lawyers including the president and the general secretary of Rajshahi Bar Association were assaulted as two groups of lawyers scuffled during the association's general meeting at the hall room of first Bar Bhaban in the city yesterday noon.

The general meeting, called over discussion on recent resignation of 11 members of the executive committee of the association, was postponed as some lawyers chased each other and damaged chairs and tables at the meeting venue.

The 11 lawyers, including a vice president and six secretaries of the association, resigned on October 31 protesting corruptions and forgery involving Tk 26 lakh allegedly by association President Mohammad Yahia and General Secretary Lokman Ali.

The unwanted situation ensued at around 2:45pm when Entajul Haque Babu, a public prosecutor and member secretary of Rajshahi Ainjibi Oikya Parishad, was delivering speech at the meeting.

He demanded that the association committee be abolished and new interim committee be announced as one its members died and 11 others of the 21-member body resigned.

Angered by his statement, Abu Aslam and Bazlur Rahman, both followers of association President Yahia, jumped on the meeting table and started shouting at Babu to stop his speech, said witnesses and lawyers.

As Abdul Wahab James and Golam Mostafa of the Oikya Parishad tried to resist Aslam and Bazlu, lawyers engaged in a scuffle, punching and kicking each other.

A few lawyers started beating association President Md Yahia and General Secretary Lokman Ali. Other lawyers escorted them out

to a safe place.

Lokman Ali told The Daily Star that opponents assaulted five persons of their group while Entajul Haque Babu said two of their members were beaten up.

Police rushed to the spot at 3:15pm and brought the situation under control, said Rajpara Police Station Officer-in-Charge Afzal Hossain.

The councils of BNP Rajshahi city and district units have now become uncertain as intra-party feuds deepened further yesterday.

Leaders and activists loyal to former state minister Kabir Hossain and former lawmaker Nadim Mostafa staged demonstration in the city yesterday against BNP's Organising Secretary Mizanur Rahman Minu who, they said, arbitrarily formed committees at different upazilas, wards and municipalities without following the party constitution.

They urged the high command to save the party from the clutches of Mizanur Rahman Minu.

Minu refuted the allegations, saying the protesters are young in politics. "We will be able to reach a consensus before the councils," he said.

In the protest meeting at Shaheb Bazar zero point, district BNP joint conveners Delwar Hossain and Motiur Rahman alleged that at least 1,000 BNP leaders and workers could not be enrolled as members of the city unit as membership forms were distributed among the selected persons.

Former city BNP organising secretary Mamunur Rashid, who presiding over the protest rally, demanded cancellation of the convening committees as he claimed that a number of controversial persons, including a collaborator of Pakistani occupation forces, have been included in the committees.

They said the BNP is at stake in the hands of Minu. In order to establish his full control over the party, Mino is not willing to give chances to the emerging leaders, the aggrieved leaders alleged.

Meanwhile, First Joint Convener Nadim Mostafa in a letter to party Chairperson Khaleda Zia recently alleged that Minu without his signature got approved a 51-member district convening committee that included at least 20 controversial persons.

The controversial persons, he alleged, were plaintiffs or witnesses to different criminal cases filed against him and other BNP leaders during the former caretaker government and one of them, Abdul Wahed Mollah, was a collaborator of Pakistani occupation forces in 1971.

He alleged Minu has destroyed the BNP by patronising those who were engaged in land grabbing, tender manipulation and criminal activities during his mayorship.

Minu is destroying party in the district too by making his loyalist Azizur Rahman as convener who ignored a large number of leaders while forming committees at different upazilas and municipalities.

When contacted, Minu said the allegations are not true. "There are grievances among some leaders who did not get chances in any committees. We are trying to bridge gap among us".

Boalia police released a businessman after two and a half hours of the arrest as hundreds of cloth traders laid siege to the police station protesting "unfair arrest" Thursday night.

Police said, a team of Detective Branch (DB) and Malopara police arrested Shamim Ahmed, owner of Alam Cloth Store, around 8:00pm on recovering 50 grams of heroin from his motorcycle parked outside the shop.

Shamim was released around 11:00pm upon an undertaking by Rajshahi city's Panel Mayor Shariful Islam Babu in the face of the protest.

The agitating traders alleged that some policemen or hired goons hid the heroin in Shamim's bike to satisfy a grudge as he denied a policeman 'Eid gifts.'

He formed a two-member probe team led by assistant commissioner of DB Tariqul Islam to look into the matter and find out the source of the drug.

Shamim told senior police officials and reporters present at the police station that he was unaware of the heroin and blamed Sub Inspector Saiful for the harassment.

He said he gifted SI Saiful's daughter clothes on Eid-ul Fitr because he (Saiful) once helped him solve a problem. Now before Eid-ul Azha, Saiful again demanded clothes for his family and relatives. Refused, the SI became furious, Shamim added.

"Usually DB personnel prepare a seizure list on the spot and lodge cases after such raids. In this case, they sent the arrestee and seized heroin to police station and did not record any case", Assistant Commissioner Jahangir told The Daily Star.

Monday, November 9, 2009

Lawmaker Fazle Hossain Badsha yesterday called on all to resist conspiracies against the government steps to restore the constitution of 1972 as well as to start the trial of war criminals.

He said the government steps are underway for reestablishing the four basic principles of the constitution of 1972 as Bangladesh's birth was based on the ideals.

Badsha, also a politburo member of Workers' Party of Bangladesh, said as per its election pledge, the government is also going to try the war criminals as trial is the only way to console the souls of 30 lakh martyrs of the liberation war and innumerable families who were victimised during the war.

"But the anti-liberation forces of BNP-Jamaat, who were in power for a maximum period since the independence through killings and conspiracies, are still hatching deep-rooted plots to destabilise the process of peace and humanity since their defeat in the December 29 elections."

"Although the Awami League (AL)-led grand alliance is now in power, our struggle against the communal and autocratic forces of BNP-Jamaat must not end. We must struggle until the government succeeds in implementing its promises to the countrymen."

The lawmaker was addressing as the chief guest at the daylong workers' conference of Rajshahi district and city units of Workers' Party at Rajshahi Bhubon Mohon Park.

Badsha asked his party men to support the struggle of the poor and labourers for implementing the ideals of the liberation war and the economic freedom for which the country was liberated.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Adulterated fertilisers have flooded the markets of Rajshahi and its adjoining districts just before the cultivation of Rabi crops, much to the concern among the growers.

Spurious fertilisers are being made secretly at houses and underground factories in different upazilas of the district, said police and officials.

A section of dishonest fertiliser dealers of Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) are also allegedly engaged in selling spurious fertilisers.

A group of unscrupulous traders are manufacturing fertilisers rampantly in many houses of Nandangachhi, Shimulia, Baidyanathtala, Faridpur, Gobindapur and Barkatpur villages of Charghat upazila, locals said.

They are selling triple super phosphate (TSP), di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) by mixing smuggled Indian fertilisers with local ones while muriate of potash (MoP) by mixing sand or salt with brick dust and colours, said a number of farmers.

Against this backdrop, the Agriculture Extension Department (AED) has alerted its upazila offices and warned farmers about adulterated fertilisers.

He said use of sub-standard and adulterated fertilisers poses threats to the farmlands, environment and health. Finally, it leads to suffering losses by farmers.

Meanwhile, the authorities launched several drives against spurious fertilisers.

On October 25, a mobile court seized 79 sacks of MoP and 60 sacks of NPKS (a mixture of nitrogen, phosphate, potash and sulfate) from the godowns of Ishaq Ali and Zakir Hossain in Bagmara upazila for not having production seal.

On the same day, the authorities arrested Mohammad Bablu while preparing adulterated fertiliser at his house at Baidyanathtola village in Charghat upazila and seized six sacks of MOP from his house.

"Samples of the seized fertilisers were sent to Dhaka for laboratory test. If it is found spurious, its possessors will be punished," said Braja Hari Das, deputy director of Rajshahi District AED.

Durgapur upazila administration fined BCIC dealer Lal Mohammad with Tk 30,000 after some 146 sacks of adulterated MoP fertilisers were seized from his godown on October 6.

In August, the Detective Branch (DB) of Rajshahi Metropolitan Police busted a clandestine spurious fertiliser factory near Rajshahi city and arrested its owner M Waliullah and manager Abdul Alim. They seized 500 sacks of spurious fertiliser from the factory.

Braja Hari said they distributed two types of leaflets describing easy methods of identifying spurious fertilisers and farmers' responsibility in checking the spread of those harmful fertilisers.

The AED sources said they expect potato cultivation on some 40,000 hectares of land this year, some 8,000 hectares higher than last year's, and Boro paddy on some 85,000 hectares of land in the district.

However, several upazila level AED officials wishing anonymity said they apprehend brisk business of adulterated fertiliser this season as there were reports of gross irregularities in recruitment of retailers under the government's new policy for distributing fertilisers at grass-roots level.

"We heard allegations of bribing Tk 20,000 to Tk 50,000 for getting appointed as retailers and we don't not see any visible reason for profit of such amount without malpractice," said an upazila AED official.

Students of Rajshahi Government College enforced a wildcat strike on the campus yesterday demanding cancellation of the transfer order of Principal Dr Ali Reja Muhammad Abdul Mazid.

The students under the banner of Students' Movement Council (Chhatra-Chhatri Sangram Parishad) observed a token hunger strike from 8:00am to 1:00pm after putting the administrative building under lock and key.

They also locked the main gate of the college and barred the teachers, staff and students from entering different departments and holding classes and examinations.

Several students said Principal Abdul Mazid has created a congenial academic atmosphere on the campus and undertook different development activities during the 15 months of his tenure.

"We will go for indefinite strike if the transfer order is not cancelled immediately," said Md Badsha Alam, the first joint convenor of the Students Movement Council.

Alam, also joint convenor of the college unit of Jatiya Chhatra Samaj, said they started protest programmes on October 25 when the principal received official order for transfer to Chapainawabganj Government College.

Dinajpur Education Board Chairman Dr Md Sanaullah has now been appointed as the principal of Rajshahi Government College.

"Student leaders of Bangladesh Chhatra League, Chhatra Moitree and Jatiya Chhatra Samaj expressed solidarity with the strike as the students want Principal Abdul Mazid to continue here," said Aksaruzzaman, another joint convenor of the council, and general secretary of Rajshahi City unit of Chhatra Moitree.

Standing near the agitating students on the campus, Dr Abdul Mazid told this correspondent, "Students are protesting spontaneously for withdrawal of my transfer. I was waiting for retirement within a year but a local Awami League leader who is favouring Sanaullah played role for the unexpected transfer only 15 months after my joining here."

"I renovated the college Shaheed Minar for the first time, introduced suitable meal at the female students hostel, freed the campus from smoking and grazing of domestic animals, and controlled movement of motorcycles and bicycles," he said.

The announcement of en masse resignation came from a press conference at Rajshahi Metropolitan Press Club at noon.

Some 50 other senior lawyers under the banner of 'Rajshahi Ainjibi Oikya Parishad' were present at the press conference.

The lawyers alleged that Bar Association President Muhammad Yahiya and General Secretary Lokman Ali were engaged in distributing forged vokalatnama (power of attorney) among the lawyers and in this way they misappropriated around Tk 26 lakh between November 23, 2008 and September 6, 2009.

They said forged stickers of Bangladesh Bar Council and forged signature of relevant officials were used in the vokalatnama.

The bar association did not take any action against the staff found involved in forgery through an investigation, they alleged.

Public Prosecutor of Speedy Trial Tribunal Entajul Haque Babu said he filed a case with Rajpara Police Station against the association's administrative officer Nurul Islam and form seller Umme Kulsum for vokalatnama forgery on September 8.

Ignoring the case, he alleged, the association's general secretary lodged another suit with a Rajshahi court to weaken the previous case on legal point.

Babu demanded proper investigation into the allegations and exemplary punishment to the persons involved.

Contacted, Muhammad Yahiya said, "How can the lawyers (who brought the allegations) point finger to anyone when the investigation is yet to be complete", he said referring to the cases lodged in this regard.

The announcement of en masse resignation came from a press conference at Rajshahi Metropolitan Press Club at noon.

Some 50 other senior lawyers under the banner of 'Rajshahi Ainjibi Oikya Parishad' were present at the press conference.

The lawyers alleged that Bar Association President Muhammad Yahiya and General Secretary Lokman Ali were engaged in distributing forged vokalatnama (power of attorney) among the lawyers and in this way they misappropriated around Tk 26 lakh between November 23, 2008 and September 6, 2009.

They said forged stickers of Bangladesh Bar Council and forged signature of relevant officials were used in the vokalatnama.

The bar association did not take any action against the staff found involved in forgery through an investigation, they alleged.

Public Prosecutor of Speedy Trial Tribunal Entajul Haque Babu said he filed a case with Rajpara Police Station against the association's administrative officer Nurul Islam and form seller Umme Kulsum for vokalatnama forgery on September 8.

Ignoring the case, he alleged, the association's general secretary lodged another suit with a Rajshahi court to weaken the previous case on legal point.

Babu demanded proper investigation into the allegations and exemplary punishment to the persons involved.

Contacted, Muhammad Yahiya said, "How can the lawyers (who brought the allegations) point finger to anyone when the investigation is yet to be complete", he said referring to the cases lodged in this regard.

Uncle of a victim in Rajshahi sued 56 JMB men on charge of killing his nephew while a Khagrachhari court sent a suspected militant of the outfit to jail rejecting his bail prayer yesterday.

A case was lodged with a Rajshahi court yesterday accusing 56 JMB militants of murdering Abu Taleb and dumping his body to an unknown place in 2004.

Taleb's uncle Amjad Hossain filed the case and the court directed the officer in-charge (OC) of Bagmara to take legal steps in this regard.

The accused include two alleged JMB advisers in Bagmara -- Abdus Sattar BSc of Sakoa and Lutfar Rahman of Majhgram -- and the outfit's area commanders Mostafizur Rahman alias 'Killer' Mostak and Mamun Muhuri of Polash.

Goalkandi Union Parishad (UP) Jamaat ameer Abdul Majid Khan and his son Anwar Hossain, a Shibir adherent at Rajshahi University are also among the accused.

Amjad Hossain alleged that the accused kidnapped Abu Taleb from his home at Sajuria village on April 14, 2004. The next day, the abductors brought Taleb to his home in seriously injured condition and demanded Tk 75,000 ransom for his release.

Taleb's family managed a sum of Tk 35,000, but as they failed to arrange the rest, the JMB men took Taleb to Hamirkutsa torture camp and since then Taleb's body remained untraced, said the case.